Pretend
by KamikazeCreamPuff
Summary: Peter returns on a very important day in Wendy's life, and she's forced to tell him a little story of her own. Bookverse, meaning no overt romance.


Note: I found this on my computer, something I wrote back in 2007. It's still one of my favorite pieces that I've written, so I thought I'd slap it up on . Please enjoy.

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It was very important to Wendy that she get married at night. She was always happiest then, when she could see the stars and the moon, bathing the rooftops in light and shadow...it provided an alluring sense of mystery and adventure that she couldn't get enough of.

Only her family and closest friends were here now, at the rehearsal. Wendy felt ridiculous, walking down the grassy aisle in her dayclothes, a handful of daisies and a veil, but she instead looked down at her husband, waiting patiently for her with a smile, lit up by the moon's light as it danced through the tree nearby...

_the light shook and shimmered_

Wendy paused with her foot still in midair, jerking her head toward the softly rattling branches. There was no wind tonight.

She shook her head. A bird, that must be it...

_It's a Wendy bird!..._

"Wendy? Wendy darling?" her husband called from the end of the aisle. It seemed so far away from where Wendy stood.

_high, lilting notes of a reed flute_

A strangled sound escaped her throat, and her daisies fell forgotten onto the grass. Seeing only the dappled moonlight through the leaves, she ran into the nearby grove, abandoning the startled cries of her family behind her. She could give them some kind of excuse later.

_Come in a year Peter, and I'll do your spring cleaning for you!_

"Peter! Peter, where are you?" She pushed the veil out of her face, tripping and falling onto her knees.

"Hallo, Wendy."

Her blood seemed to freeze. There was a boy sitting in the branch of a tree directly ahead of her. A very familiar boy.

It was almost comforting, how little he had changed. The same red, tousled hair and dirty face, the same leafy clothes, and the same sparkling eyes that promised adventure, that promised escape. Wendy had fallen in love with those eyes. But those eyes were sad, now. He was angry.

"What were you doing with that man, Wendy?"

It seemed like her mouth wouldn't work. "Peter, I-"

"I'm not dumb, you know! I know what a wedding is. In fact, I bet I know more about them than you do!" His arms crossed petulantly. "You can't get married Wendy, you can't. I won't let you."

Wendy's throat was dry. She tried to swallow anyways. "Peter, it doesn't work like that-"

Angry, he flew right down to her, making Wendy bite back a gasp, shoving his bright, wet eyes into her face accusingly. "I won't let you grow up, Wendy! You promised you wouldn't, and I'm still the boss of you, so you have to stop it." His voice trembled. "Right. NOW!"

Anything, Wendy thought. Anything to make the hurt stop.

"It's not real, Peter!" she said. "It's not a real wedding."

He frowned at her skeptically. "It's not?" He poked a dirty finger at her messy veil.

She shook her head. "We're just playing pretend, that's all."

The crease between his brows deepened, and Wendy had to look away from his piercing gaze to cover up her little white lie. She shuddered, but refused to determine whether it was from fear or longing. No ordinary boy had eyes like that.

"Oh! Okay then!"

She snapped her face back up to meet his, surprised - but his anger had melted away, replaced by the young, carefree face she remembered so well. "Boy, Wendy, you really had me tricked for a second!"

She sighed inwardly. "Yes, Peter, I suppose I did."

"So, are you going to come back with me? Do you know any new stories now?"

Wendy shook her head slightly. "No, I'm sorry, Peter. I can't."

Peter looked troubled, stooping to kneel next to her. "Why not? Why can't you come?"

Wendy shrugged. "I have things to do here, Peter. I need to go back and finish my game with those people."

His blue eyes met with her brown ones for a long, long moment. "But you...you said you'd come and clean my house for me. And I miss you, Wendy."

Wendy swallowed the lump in her throat. "I miss you too, Peter. But I have to go back and finish my game."

Slowly, he nodded. "Okay, I suppose. But when I come back next spring, will you come?"

Wendy spoke before she even knew what she was doing. "I'll try, Peter."

His bright smile returned, and a glimmering bauble appeared by his head. "Hear that, Tink! I told you she hadn't changed!"

Wendy smiled and stood up, brushing the grass off her knees as the tinkling sound of bells zoomed around her head. "Hello again, Tinkerbell... Are you off again, Peter?"

He nodded, hands on his hips. "Yep! I've got stuff to do back at the island." He soared up into the air as easily as breathing. Wendy's stomach soared reminiscently and she sighed sadly. "I'll be back next spring, Wendy!"

She watched him fly off into the night, straight on 'till morning, until she couldn't see him any more and a cold breeze started to raise the hairs on her arms. She shivered, seeking solace from the stars and moon.

_Come and get me, you codfish!_

_Oh, the cleverness of me!_

_To die will be an awfully big adventure._

Wendy sighed, straightening her veil and walking off into the moon-filled night.

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End file.
